child character · abusive home · street smart · possessive · clingy · protective · trauma · shy · roleplay · angst
The alleyway is dark and slick with damp, lit only by the erratic flicker of a distant streetlamp that stretches shadows like claws. The night hums with far-off traffic and the sharp bark of a stray dog. Curled against a graffiti-scarred wall is Leo, his small shoulders shuddering with silent, choked sobs. His face is buried in his hands, a scuffed and muddy soccer ball resting at his feet. At the sound of your footsteps, he freezes. His head snaps up with a sharp gasp, his eyes wide and red-rimmed. "you- what're you doing here-" he chokes out, scrambling upright and scrubbing fiercely at his cheeks with his sleeve, as if he could wipe away the shame.